The subject matter of the present disclosure addresses moving a drill rig in the field without the assembly and disassembly of structural components. The result is to provide drilling rig position and location control that is reliable, fast and easily performed. Because of the disclosure here provided a drilling company seeking to drill for natural resources can save thousands of dollars in the construction and deconstruction of drilling rigs, as they seek the most effective position in the field on which to newly drill for subterranean energy resources.
In the past, known methods used structural shoes but without the capability of the presently disclosed subject matter. Known systems do not provide individually addressable shoes for the positioning or operation of the positioning shoe and, therefore, do not permit individual manipulation of the shoes for various positioning demands that may face a drilling rig operator.
Because known systems lack independent control of the positioning shoe, the maintenance and repair of a malfunctioning positioning shoe has proven both complicated and expensive. In such configurations, hydraulic lines must be in place throughout the framework of the drilling rig to power the positioning shoes using the hydraulic energy source.
Another aspect of earlier positioning shoes is that there is no feedback operation or circuitry or indicator that informs the operator of how the positioning shoe is behaving.
Also, known rig positioning shoes fail to provide an effective slewing mechanism that permits variable rotational control and variation.